The benefits of planning (where we can...)

What this means 

Usually, understanding what options are available, and what they mean, can help make choices around homes more positive. Human habits built up over a lifetime, such as acquiring possessions or being close to valued communities, can take time to change; people will usually need time to adjust to changes in their routines and everyday space. Helping people to plan will support them to see these changes as positive, rather than something forced upon them. This is something support staff can directly help with. 

Why do we need to be person-centred when thinking about home?

In this video, David Yeandle explains the importance of being person-centred when thinking about home:

Planning is equally important for commissioners, senior managers, policy-makers, and politicians. As other themes in this key change have shown, housing need is not uniform. Working to increase choice and control in housing, and fighting for resources to make this happen, requires planning and consideration of the future right now. 

Why is it important to think about planning and services to be flexible?

Dave Bracher talks about the importance of planning, and the need for services to also be flexible:

The research 

The two faces of planning – on an individual and system level – are closely linked. If there is not a systemic approach to future-proofing homes, it increases the expectations on individuals and families to do this for themselves, when they may not have the resources, knowledge, or power, to do so (McCall, 2022). The earlier systemic actions can be taken, the better (McCall, 2022). 

Early planning for home adaptations can be one of the most positive steps any organisation with resources can take (Zhou et al., 2019; McCall, 2022). This supports individuals themselves to better plan – options are available earlier, less pressure is put on people during what is likely to be a stressful time, and inappropriate and potentially harmful housing situations can be addressed before damaging health and wellbeing (Powell et al., 2017, Carnemolla & Bridge, 2020). 

This can help, but it isn’t the full answer to the UK’s inadequate housing response for those with care and support needs. It’s also about building the right type of homes in the first place. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has found that only 32% of councils agree that developers are normally ‘fully compliant’ with accessibility regulations, but only 3% have taken action against a developer on accessibility grounds (Equality and Human Rights Commission, n.d.).  

While much work on accessible housing stock needs to be taken at a national level, with plans to raise the accessibility standard for new homes (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, 2022b), there are activities local authorities can take, such as considering an accessible housing register (Jones & Lordon, 2011) – this is covered in greater detail in the information section. 

Person-centred planning is also vital in direct work. To take one example, the evidence supporting future, as well as current, choices around housing in partnership with people with learning disabilities and those that support them was looked at by Brennan et al. (2020). Particularly if their primary support is one or two parents, people with learning disabilities can face a ‘double shock’ of losing their home at a time when they are grieving the death of a parent. Given that at least 29,000 adults with a learning disability live with parents aged 70 or over – yet only one in four of their local authorities have planned alternative housing with them – this issue is potentially large (Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, 2023). 

To mitigate this, it's important to think about planning for housing choices before the death of one or both parents. Brennan et al. (2020) found early discussion of planning for future housing choices, with explanations of support available, and signposting to financial and legal support, were all important in improving the person’s and their families’ ability to increase and improve future planning. The relationship a worker was able to build with all of the family was important in addressing resistance to planning, and helped open early doors to discussion about future options – including for the potential emergence of health conditions as the person ages, such as physical health issues or dementia (Public Health England, 2018). 

What you can do 

If you are in direct practice: Open up discussions about future home choices as early as possible. Even if someone isn’t facing immediate decisions about where they live or how their home might change, it should help people feel informed later down the track.  

If you are in senior management: The Local Government Information Unit has an information page for local authorities, setting out the current challenges of meeting the need for accessible housing in their area. You can discuss this challenge with colleagues in housing and planning, while considering how the local authority can be a real catalyst for change.  

It’s also important to open up conversations with local housing associations and housing providers about their current and future stock of accessible housing. Are they aware of future trends toward the need for greater stock of accessible housing? How can you support their planning with your intel?  

Further information 

Learn

About ‘Rightsizing’ – an award-winning Age Friendly Homes initiative in Ireland about older people making positive decisions about their housing choices. Note the lack of ‘downsizing’ in the language - avoiding any possible negative connotations about decline or withdrawal from society. There is also a short video about Age Friendly Homes.